There exists the belief that the church of Jesus Christ in North America is on decline, becoming more and more irrelevant. Why would that be? Could it be that we don’t walk our talk? Is the church trying so hard to be relevant that it is losing sight of what God says is important? Does the fruit look good on the stand but is rotten at the core or better known as hypocritical?

What if the followers of Christ would change that? Jesus had a group of 12 disciples with whom he spent most of his ministry years; teaching, training, dialogue, missions trips, etc. In the book of Acts there are ample descriptions of how the church of Jesus Christ was engaged in home groups and how their relationships had a powerful impact on the proclamation of the name of Christ (Acts 2:42-47). They were joyful, victorious and full of praise. They were authentic and shared possessions with those in need. They weren’t perfect; they had their issues. But there was a contagious attractiveness that those early believers had.

Believers thrive within a community of care groups; smaller groups of 8-12 people where there is caring, sharing, and accountability. It is hard to be a hypocrite in a small group although it seems Judas, a disciple of Jesus, was an exception. I believe that the faith community of Jesus Christ is relevant to the concerns and needs of society when it engages each other in the context of small groups where individuals can be ministered to in a real way. When do you enjoy spending time with other believers? How can the faith community be salt and light in the community? What can you do to make your faith community more like the early church?